The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-31

Mr.. and Mrs. jeremiah Higgins living
north of Seneca, died at the home OF q
friend in the west, with whom she had
been visiting, on Friday, and was brought
to the home of her bereayed parents on
Saturday.
She was most estimable young lady
and, having been born and raised among
the girls and boys of the village, her death
at the early age Of IS years is particularly
pathetic. She left home in the full vigor
of girlish health and hope, and her visit.
which was planned with such joyous ex-
pectancy, has Indeed ended sadly.
After touching service at the pretty
Catholic church at Seneca on Sunday, her
remains We're taken by rail to Morris,
where she rests by the side of loved ones
gone before, under the gay sunlight and
dark browed cloud, while her memory lives
on-not dead, but gone before.
-
Amas was gay though quiet day ia
Seneca-quiet because II was Sunday.
Something new in the way of display was
inaugurated in the Methodist church, and
Instead of the omnipresent Christmas tree,
Christmas ship, five feet long and three
feet wide, with ullrigged sails, stood upon
the dias. The hold of the vessel was filled
with all kinds of presents, candy and nuts,
dolls, books, and-almost everything in the
MAS line. The sails aud rigging were re-
plete with the same cheerful tokens Of
good will toward earth and heaven.
Santa Claus, impersonated by Sam
Thomas, was late, as the roads were bad,
and the "pesky" horses were slow. But,
though late, Sam made up for lost time by
forgetting his speech, having left 1t home
on his jeweled writing case.
The most prosecuted young man of the
evening was Will Nickerson. Will Is real
bashful, and when the white whiskered
kris Kringle" presented him with four
dolls in rapid succession, he was rendered
for time speeches., and didn't even have
presence Of mind enough to thank his
donors.
Seneca has a social club, called the
"Pleasure Club, which doesn't take an an.
terrier seat for Ottawa or any other town,
when 1t comes to real entertainment. It
has 38 members, the finest young men of
the town, and when it prepares for social
event." something Is bound to occur. Jas.
Brown is its president, and when he sug-
gests to Secretary Harvey that some invi-
tatlons ought to 60 out, the hearts of the
beauties of Seneca thump with sound as
of tearing down castiron coal shed.
The clubs parties occur every other Fri
day evening, and the neighboring towns
send their full quota of pleasure seekers on
each occasion.
Arthur Stephens is one of the incest boys
in Seneca, and has reputation as a vocal
list which Is more than local. He favored
the Xmas gathering at the NJ. f. church
with some choice selections on Sunday,
which were very we'll received.
IL
The Methodist people have engaged the
Baptist church to hold their evening meet.
ings in, as the plastering on their building
is very meagre, and the cold air rather in
terferes with the comfort Of the congrega-
ton.
On Monday evening the young folks al
lowed themselves to engage in the pleas
ures of an Xmas dance, which went of
very nicely.
There is one Young man In Seneca who
is lying back and biding his time for the
reeking of vengence terrible and awful
in its magnitude. He, Emmett Vaughey,
was strolling placidly along Main street,
one evening last week, with the hungry
eye of the Joyous coal oil lamp gloatins
DER his features, when a form whose con-
tourhe could not mistake, fitted by him
without even sigh of recognition. He
hurried after the slight girlish figure, his
heart beating high with fear that she
was angry with him. What could he
have done to offend her? In what manner
had his presence become odous to this
charming young sunbeam ?" He walked
faster, and the tleeting figure increased Its
pace. He broke into canter, and the
flying footsteps of the pursued fairly
danced along the pavement. At last, when
his gait had reached dead run, he clasped
the petite form in his many arms loud,
wall.eyed laugh, stitled howl OF pain-r
was her little brother. Emmett. won't hear
the last of II tor two years. HARRY,